Our Linear Story
by Shyyynobi
Summary: Her presence, if nothing else - had always remained. By her own vindication and whether he wanted her there or not - she simply was. M.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: As a writer I have always found Sasuke's character exceedingly difficult but entirely fascinating, and throughout the series it has been a severe love/hate relationship. More so, I find the Sakura and Sasuke dynamic even more enthralling. On the surface, I can understand why people don't understand this pairing, but after extensive research I have found myself with supple evidence that they have one of the most complicated, but diverse development. I am going to write this in an attempt to understand the POV of our beloved Uchiha in a series of short dabbles throughout significant portions of the story we have come to love.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of it's affiliates.

M.

 _Our Linear Story_

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 _Annoying._

The word in itself was entirely demeaning, and in the beginning - that's what he meant. His first visions of her stayed in his memory, tucked away selfishly because the darkness beckoned him, and pink did nothing but kindle a light to the irrefutable inky blackness that tugged on his life.

By now the memory was hazy, but he could still bring forth that hazy first memory of her. She had been pressed against the railing, a deplorable red ribbon fixing her bangs, and he glanced at her stoically, lips upturned in a fretful frown - mouth full with a ripe tomato rice ball, and ironically enough her face turned the same shade of obtuse red before she ducked and ran from his line of sight.

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Another time, he stayed in class to finish his assignment - the doors had long been locked and there was a deafening silence in the academy building. But really, he just didn't want to return home. He didn't want to feel the peculiar, nonexistent glance of his father and cool disregard by his brother. So instead, he worked generously on his assignment to get the highest mark in class in hopes that this time, his father would be impressed.

She tip-toed into the room, hair longer - with a flush on her cheeks, except this time - the bow contrasted prettily against the coral color of her hair.

"I really like…"

She fumbled with the hem of her dress, eyes focused intently on the ground.

Didn't she see he was working on something?

"What is it?"

He had seen her only briefly, and each time it couldn't have been more than a few seconds.

"Who are you?" he questioned, unable to put a name to the face.

She ran again, head low and made a squeak of a noise that made him watch her quizzically, but gave no other indication to her antics.

What an odd girl.

He returned his focus on his assignment, aware that his outstanding marks had been handed out and he wanted nothing more than to show his father his grades for this week.

 _This_ time he would be recognized for his hard work, he knew it.

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Her presence, if nothing else - had always remained. By her own vindication and whether he wanted her there or not - she simply _was._

 _._

 _._

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 _Annoying._

Here is where he found his annoyance in her, and what he thought would have eternally remained as a fixed statement in regards to her.

That day at the bench, where spring rolled into the village and amongst it's beauty he ignored it, engulfed in his own sullen silence.

The conversation had begun normally enough for them.

Until.

"Well, he doesn't have a normal childhood so…" she shrugged her shoulders up carelessly, "he doesn't have parents! He can do whatever he wants, if I acted like that —my parents would ground me for months."

He stopped - the air seemed to still at the offending statement he knew would tumble from her tactless lips, "he's so lucky, all alone, parents to never say what to do and what not to do," she paused with a self-assured, confident sigh, "that's why he always makes trouble."

He could handle her blatant attempts at flattering him, he could stomach her pining after him in the academy, and even found it humorous when she scolded the idiot and their banter ensued.

Memories of his family, their dinners, his mother waking him up for training - and certainly his affection began to suffocate him at the callous way she forsake the pain his new teammate must have felt.

Because he understood it.

"All alone…."

The idiotic comparison made his anger coil, undeniably tight.

"Huh?" she questioned absently, self-assurance gone when she noticed his shift in demeanor.

"The feeling of a parent yelling at you is nothing compared to what he felt," he scolded, because anger never broke the barrier of his leveled voice.

"What's wrong, Sasuke-kun?"

He tilted in her direction, stoney eyes reeled in vehemence which spoke much louder than the words he tagged with her, because as angry as it made him, he found annoyance came first, "you're annoying."

He continued his walk that day, leaving her at the bench, which would become habitual for them it seemed.

In the days following he pretended he didn't notice how she became friendlier to their obnoxious teammate, and she even offered him praise - which made him contemplate that she had listened to what he had to say.

Her attitude towards the jinchuriki remained so, and their budding dynamic gave him an eerie, reminiscent sense of _home._

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For reasons beyond him, he stayed. He stayed until she came to, unaware that she had been put under a genjutsu by their sensei.

And more confusing, he voluntary felt like explaining _why_ he had to get the bells.

"I'm an avenger," he paused, because he had never spoken these words before and they felt foreign on his lips, but she listened — and that's all he needed, "I have to become stronger than him, so I can't just stay here and do nothing."

He wanted to continue, to let the words slip past him onto caring ears because inside of there was a coil that was threatening spring like a snake that had been starved. Her face was an open display of confusion and sincerity, and he hated it because he could easily slip into sharing the darkness with her, right now.

Who had he told?

No one.

The nights of pain and sorrow that thoroughly wracked his figure with sobs and screams in the empty compound that still stood as a daily reminder that he was alone.

Her eyes shook, and he could always tell when her silence meant she was _trying_ to understand, but how could she?

Sasuke almost continued.

Except the bells broke his spell, and the sole survivor shot an irritated glance in that direction.

They had run out of time.

He had lost track of time.

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This mission had been doomed from the beginning, but he gained energy from the impeccable blonde that had become a fixture in his life. He knew, although he felt that it had escaped his teammates that their mission was beginning to rise in rank.

They had been flogged down, and everything had happened quickly. The chunin from Mist had made their appearance known, and the fighting ensued shortly after.

Sasuke learned quickly that in times of peril, he worked instinctively. He had subdued their weapons with cleverly timed shuriken and a kunai, but they had broken free from the metal bonds and began their mindless attack in the direction of his teammates.

She held the kunai bravely amidst her shaking and the fear that echoed itself in her sea foam eyes. They were fast. Almost faster than him, and for a split-heart wrenching moment that he hadn't felt in years, he threw himself in front of her.

He wasn't poised for attack.

The small gasp from her lips tickled the air behind him.

Why?

He braced himself for the hit, expecting the full brutality that they had witnessed their sensei undergo, but even he stilled in stoic awe when Kakashi's arm slung around the enemy's neck, effectively railroading him onto the ground.

Both enemies caught, out of thin air by their overly relaxed teacher who offered them the simplest of a greeting, "yo."

And normally he would have been grateful, but he found himself thrummed with shallow annoyance.

 _What a show off._

 _._

 _._

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In this moment he knew he wasn't alone, carelessly and undeniably her feelings were plagued with him.

All of their bonds began to knit together, and made them a team.

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Finally, Tazuna had relented to them the appropriate information that would have helped prior to this mission about Gato and the region being forked over to this man.

He knew their mission had quickly risen to an A-rank the moment that assassin had appeared from the thick layers of air before they arrived to the bridge. Not that he minded, because this could finally prove as a test of strength for him.

Except this man was strong.

Zabuza Momichi.

Their sensei, who he had garnered a moderate amount of respect for in terms of his power had handled the fight exceptionally well, was beginning to crumble under the intensity of the fight. He got locked in the water jutsu, and if Sasuke had learned anything about himself it was that he was practical.

His sensei told them to run, and the Uchiha could have scoffed at that. Instead, his wilting teammates shook — attempting to assess the situation in their own way. With no time for deliberation, he attacked, poised and quickly Sasuke appeared on top of the man, kunai ready to be shoved down the Mist ninja's neck.

Shockingly, a large hand wrapped itself around his neck and tossed him aside like he had been nothing more than hindrance to his day. The air got knocked from his lungs, but the sting to his pride hurt worse when his teammates called his name.

In a flurry of delayed thinking, Naruto and him devised a plan - the first time he could see they didn't habitually argue on something.

Their team killed that man that day, supposedly.

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Sasuke always felt confident in his abilities, to the measure of those around him - in that village. For the first time, eternally stuck in the kekkai genkai that reflected his own image that shot senbon and a barrage of other weapons that were slowly cutting him open, his confidence waned.

He activated his sharingan, the black tomoes spun in a wayward movement that left him dizzy, but he could see. The teleportation of the mist ninja slowed down, he could trace the movements but this faux tracker had been a step ahead of him.

Naruto had been on the ground, and cleverly the ice mirror specialist aimed towards his teammate. Instinctively, he ran to get there in time. His body sprung with the pain of the needles in his skin, his legs quivered from exhaustion, but the adrenaline surged him forward.

In time, again he found himself at a crossroad of emotional discharge for the people that now surrounded him.

The projectiles found his body seamlessly, Sasuke knew that some had worked their way into his his organs. He had become numb, probably a side effect of his body beginning to go into shock. The voice of his teammate found his ears, and he couldn't properly explain himself.

"Why?!"

Words, words that all faded together began to dance in his vision, but he could only see the reflection of his brother's eyes from that night.

 _Why?_

"How should I know…"

He knew in the recesses within him that he wouldn't have preferred dying any other way. His body slipped into the catch of the blonde, who was now screaming obscenities at the world, at him?

More words slipped from slack, pale lips.

So this is what it was like to die.

This is what his family felt under the blade of his brother.

It felt…peaceful, in a way.

He could rest, although his promise to himself had been broken. He held no validity as an avenger if he couldn't handle one mission, if he couldn't protect his friends.

Somewhere in the black depths that began to create spots in his memory, he told his friend not to die. Because yes, under these terms he found that although he wanted to reject it, this obnoxious idiot, his unspoken rival, had become his friend.

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"Sasuke-kun!"

"Sasuke-kun!"

Someone was crying, why were they screaming his name? He didn't have anyone to cry over him, everyone that had any bond with him had long ago passed.

His death would never be more than a faded, unrecognizable drip in the sizable well of time.

"Sasuke-kun!"

 _Sakura?_

The latent despair in her screams became familiar, but why over him?

He shifted subtly, the pain began to etch into every fiber of his body and in a mammoth of realization his eyes began to open. Dull, lifeless eyes that couldn't focus, but he could see the outline of her face and single particular trait, her shallow pink tresses of hair that tickled his face.

 _Why was she crying so much?_

Her body wracked with sobs as she clung onto his limp form, tears mingled with the light mist that still hung over them and snot dripped down her nose. The pain in her voice reached his ears, but the young Uchiha couldn't fathom why this girl felt so inclined to show so much grief over his death.

Finally, his vision cleared and what remained in the center was this girl who he had assumed her affection had been based off shallow, untamed rivalry now held him in her sorrow. Her face twisted in grief in a perpetual state of unbidden tears that he had only felt the night he witnessed his parents slaughtered.

Something within him fluttered, but amongst the pain he couldn't decipher what it was.

However, he did understand himself to know that he didn't want her to recoil away completely.

For the first time in the shallow pits of death and loneliness, he felt comfort, ironically-

"Sakura…that hurts…"

She did recoil, but not enough to move away from him. Relief washed over her features while he remained still, pain etched into every crevice of his body. She continued to cry, but this time unwashed tears and a smile lit up her face that would become a perpetual reminder of home for him.

And another, different type of annoyance.

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In that forest of death, Sasuke began to realize that true monsters come in the form of those that want to hurt the people closest to him. He also learned that if they succeed, there is a power within him that can no longer subdue the pain that he has felt.

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TBC

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 **Author's note:**  
I hope I'm portraying Sasuke's character justly: constructive criticism and feedback is appreciated.  
\- Reviews only take a moment and serve as inspiration so let me know if you guys are liking this story thus far.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: A reviewer said it best - I think what people miss with these two is the subtle moments, which I feel offer more than blatant displays of affection. After re-reading the manga numerous times and _actually_ looking at the hints Kishimoto gave as to their feelings, it became rather obvious. Sasuke - a man of action doesn't have to speak on this, but we see it through careful action throughout the manga and their feelings for one another.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of it's affiliates.

M.

 _Our Linear Story_

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He arrived particularly early that day, their nomination for the chunin exams had cast a web of excitement within the Uchiha. The unusual feeling that _progress_ was being made left him with a sense of empowerment. More so, his mood of feigned disinterest had been tossed aside and in a rare moment of dexterity, Sasuke looked forward to the day.

Preliminarily, they would be taking the written exam which he felt would be the easiest portion of the tests. He waited by the bridge close to the academy where the tests would be held. Casually he watched as Sakura arrived second, her punctuality respectable after his own.

She murmured a small, "good morning, Sasuke-kun."

Odd.

He was about to respond —

"Hey! Sakura-chan!" the high octave of Naruto's voice broke through the tranquility of the morning.

Her normal tendency to reprimand their teammate for being hideously loud in his greeting washed away in monotonous silence.

"Yeah...Good morning," she responded eventually, her shoulders slumped dismally, and he watched with a peculiar eye when she put a faux smile on her face that bypassed the idiot's continuous rambling about his excitement for their tests.

Dobe.

 _…She seems weird today._

As per usual, they bantered back and forth but the lack of her enigmatic temper crossed him as entirely out of character for her.

They continued their walk to the building for testing as team, and like a predatory hawk he stood back to watch her shoulder a burden that she didn't normally carry.

He could only assume that her nerves for the exams left her uneasy, if anything serious had happened she would be a wreck of unchecked emotions.

Confidence, maybe?

His normal, self-assured and overtly confident teammate had been repressed by her lack of confidence in her progress, he could only assume.

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"Ah…So you noticed," the unfamiliar genin remarked smugly.

Sasuke paused, he felt inclined to push his way past the snarky duo that were blocking the door with a simple genjutsu — but a new, definite sense of the frailty his teammate felt left him predisposed to fix it. From their initial entrance into the hallway she had narrowed her eyes at the duo and logged their location within the building.

She wouldn't speak on it, but he would.

"Sakura, you must have noticed right?"

"Huh?" she asked, her head tilted habitually and pink tendrils of her hair spilled over her shoulder. Shock registered over her, not for lack of knowledge in what he was talking about - but his innate ability to recognize her thoughts.

And he felt the small crowd that had surrounded them should know, too.

"Your analytical ability and genjutsu know-how is the most improved on our team."

She remained quiet, her face turned away from him and a slight pink dusted over her cheeks.

"Eh?" Naruto quirked a brow, confused at the events that had transpired and obviously felt out of sync with the hidden language his teammates were sharing without him.

"Heh," she glowed happily, "of course I noticed a while ago. Because this is the _second_ floor."

Her fist clenched characteristically, a bemused, genuine grin brought a new light to her face that had dissipated in the face of their exams.

Sasuke smirked to himself.

He didn't lie, nor did he give gracious compliments for the sake of it. Her genjutsu ability _had_ improved, begrudgingly for him to admit — the small downward tilt in her mouth had tipped him off to the genjutsu once they entered the building.

And as he predicted, albeit entirely shaky to begin with when they were graded as a group — his lack of confidence in Naruto academically had left him unsettled - they passed their first test.

 _Maybe_ they would get through this together easily enough.

The forest; however, decided otherwise.

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Darkness had come easily, where the dawn would brighten people's days - his days were driven by the raw essence of revenge. That day a seed had been sowed into his life that would weave itself into the air he breathed.

The bite unveiled a new path that revealed itself to him.

It was tainted with pain, but his life now forked and he was given the illusion of choice.

"Sasuke-kun will seek me. He will seek me for _power._ " The word rung in his ears although the pain crippled him to the floor.

He couldn't see it, he didn't quite understand the events that had just transpired in the shadows of the forest, but he remembered the name and that statement.

 _Orochimaru._

The faded memory of flaxen eyes contrasted against ashen skin sealed itself within him.

The pain curled him over, in the distance he could hear Sakura's voice attempting to bring him to, but he could only feel the fire that traveled from his neck down the length of his spine.

Fire liquefied into his arteries, the pain blocked any consciousness he may have been able to grip onto.

"Hang in there, Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke clenched his hand within hers, his screams lost in the silence of the forest. The warmth her body provided created stability, her familiarity wrapped him in a blanket of strength. He refused to let this overcome him. His goals, his motivation swallowed the pain - her arms cradled him against her, her shallow breathing softened his resolve, her presence - subdued the fire until his body went lax in her dainty hands.

He let go of her hand, his body limp yet numb to the pain.

His only source of feeling was from his pink-haired teammate, who ushered his head to rest against her shoulder.

 _Solace_ , that's what this was.

The pain ebbed away slowly, his mind drifted at the comfort he found within her.

Again, the world went black.

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In the bleak shadows a figure appeared of small stature. It was hunched over, the sound of sniffling caught Sasuke's ears and curiously he took a few, wary steps in the direction of the figure.

"Who is it?" he demanded authoritatively. Why was he here? He could remember the forest, the fight between himself and that shinobi that reminded him eerily of a snake.

The small figure emerged from the shadows, tears dampened the small boy's cheeks who looked at him through his bangs. The Uchiha took a jolted step back, revelation etched into the curves of his face.

 _Mom and Dad…._

 _Didn't have to die…._

"The old me?!"

The replica took another shaky step forward, his face contorted into sorrow. Memories wilted into Sasuke's vision, remembering how he had been for months after his clan's decimation.

 _In the end…_

 _If you don't have strength you can't do anything…_

More sobs shook the small boy's body who sloppily attempted to wipe them away with the back of his sleeve.

 _Because I didn't have strength…The clan was wiped out…_

Blood spurting from this father's throat in a gurgled, homicidal mess of death flashed before him.

 _Everyone was killed…_

His father's lifeless body on the floor burned into his vision, Sasuke clenched his eyes shut — trying to dismiss the memories that haunted him. His mother, the woman who had the silkiest, darkest locks that soothed him — her hair matted with her own blood and he'll never forget how the porcelain color of her skin contrasted with the inky blotches of red that would forever stain the floor.

Memories…All memories, clear, horrifying visions that would never leave him.

 ** _No…you!_**

His younger self growled suddenly, a strangled gasp of a noise that began to morph angrily.

 _ **You let them die…**_

His own face twisted against him, the shadows that covered the boy's face were now alive with a disgusting, twisted grin that held the pain that coursed through his past.

 ** _All you did was watch._**

Sasuke willed his legs to move back, but his body fell under paralysis in the face of his demons.

The boy's eye bled red, the pupils slit — _**If only you had strength.**_

In these times, he wished for oblivion.

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In the face of demons, he felt that he had stood against them and found a reprieve from the memories that plagued him.

In truth, he had merely been dancing with them.

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His eyes opened mutely, the adrenaline from his nightmare tore through him that forced him to barrel over and survey his surroundings.

The pain that had shrouded him had left him in the closet of his terrors.

An aura radiated off of the Uchiha that he failed to notice amongst the commotion that caught his attention.

Voices filled with worry filtered into his senses, but he turned to find the last person that had been holding him.

How long had he been asleep?

He turned to see Naruto still unconscious beside him, then who had…?

The choked voice of his female teammate whipped him in her direction.

Her long locks had been cut devastatingly short, blood clung to her hair, roseate faded into red and black - the same as his mother.

 **Who?**

Bruises littered her body, her right eye had been swollen shut, blood dripped from fresh wounds, and her face was beginning to show the results of blunt trauma. Tears had left streaks on her cheeks that intermingled with dirt that became grime on normally flushed cheeks. Her skin — clear skin was marred with ugly colors of purple and black. She was holding herself up shakily behind the other members in their year, but he couldn't see past her face.

Etches of those memories began to play before him, _taunt_ him.

The voice of his past self rung loudly in his ears, _you're weak!_

Everyone began to dissipate into the rage that began to seep into the pores of his skin.

He had failed to protect his family from his brother, he could only watch as those that he loved the most were slaughtered into a forever night.

 _Again_ , he failed to protect those that were dear to him.

 ** _You let them die!_**

The poison that had run through his arteries began to morph into blind hatred, hatred for himself, hatred for his brother, hatred for this world.

Sasuke rose onto his feet.

Calmly, he could feel the _power_ course through him. The curse mark worked quickly to cover his skin, his past catapulted before him while his present suffocated him in water drenched with his anger.

"Sakura…"

All eyes darted to the sole survivor.

"Who did that to you…?"

His eyes scanned the trio that stood at the edge of the clearing, their backs pressed against the trees.

"Sasuke-kun?" she squeaked, fright heavy in her voice.

That voice, the one that had become customary in his days. Had become a source of _comfort._

The shadows of his past began to laugh maniacally, and the eyes of his family stared at him in disgust — Sakura's eyes reflected their disappointment in him.

He wouldn't sit and watch.

Not this time.

Not when he could feel his chakra surge angrily around him.

 **"Who is it?"**

She didn't respond, fear quaked her small form to witness the change in her teammate.

The curse seal enveloped his entire body, his entire being filled with a newfound hatred that created a powerful entity of energy around him.

Enough to make the others around him back up.

"We did it!" one of the members of the sound trio answered hautily. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the one who spoke up, he could almost laugh at the incredulously _stupid_ reason why they would claim this.

"Sasuke-kun…Your body!"

He lifted his hand to his line of sight and saw the black flames that tattooed his skin in intricate swirls of designs that forged themselves in his lithe anger. His sharingan spun into focus, half of his face was marred with the design that complimented the black tomoes.

"Don't worry," he eased. Her sea foam eyes stared at him cautiously, and he couldn't blame her.

He felt _different._

"Not only that, I feel power overflowing from within me."

He paused, he hadn't felt this strong and in control before. A new sense of clarity breached into the fabrication of his life, of _who_ he was and _how_ he was going to avenge his family.

How he was going to protect his teammates.

"I feel great."

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Some nights, he wondered if that moment had taught him what he needed to know. How the monsters played with him when he saw her hurt. How his path cleared before him—

And would he have chosen a different path, knowing that now.

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"He gave it to me."

A gift.

"I finally understand it…I am an avenger."

Confusion registered onto her face, but he couldn't try and explain to her. Only he knew, because he had nothing, and wanted everything. He wanted his family back, he wanted to bring their names to light and justice, and he could only kill _him_ by going on this new path.

"I am on a path where I must gain power…"

Why was he explaining to her? Someone that couldn't possibly understand — Naruto had shared in similar pain, but it wasn't plausible for him to understand loss — someone who had started with _nothing._

He would gladly, favorably chosen a life of isolation than losing everyone.

"Now," he collected, his attention drawn to the sound ninjas who'd been calculating him with labored interest, "it was you guys, right?" he drawled.

It happened quickly.

Spots began to dance in his memory, spots of black that he couldn't remember because the enthrallment of inflicting pain on them had captivated him.  
Sasuke did remember the crack of bones against his fist, the _gratifying_ feeling of his shuriken lodging themselves into the skin of the one that had foolishly boasted about hurting Sakura.

The darkness beckoned him.

 _Power._

More.

It filled him, entirely.

"Heh, so you're proud of these two arms?"

A smirk ghosted incessantly on his face, he gripped the sound ninja's arms and pressed the heel of his foot in between his shoulder blades. _Slowly,_ he pressed forward until the sockets began to creak under the pressure, the male began to cry out pitifully — Sasuke pushed further, the sockets began to give way — more screams — another push — _snap!_ The bones in his shoulder's caved and became disgustingly loose — coward cries left the lips of the nin.

Sasuke glanced at the masked sound shinobi, another grin lifted onto his face. "You're the only one left…" satisfying, nothing else could compare to how _good_ it felt to avenge those that had wronged him.

"I hope you let me have more fun."

He took a menacing step forward — thwarting the nin's calm reserve.

"STOP!"

He stilled, delicate arms circled him and the familiar warmth of his teammate pressed against his back.

Seconds passed by that began to cave into eternity.

A damp, foreign feeling darkened the material on his back.

Her tears.

He glanced back, the sharingan reflected in her viridescent eyes, and they stood there - him looking at her, unable to move.

They shared an eternity of emotions in one glance.

He could _see_ her concern that shook in her petite figure, he could _feel_ the the faith she still had in him.

The black shadows continued to taunt him, he felt lost in their clutches. The power they gave him fueled his hatred, the darkness wanted to swallow him like a ravenous demon.

"Please…stop," she whimpered.

She stood there on a hill with a smile that forced the shadows to retreat from his vision. Her hair swayed happily in the wind, her hand out-stretched, reaching for him. He reached forward, stumbling all the while, confused yet _urgent._

He had to reach the beacon of light.

The swirls of candy pink and iridescent emerald sought him.

Her whimpering reached his ears, the sorrow in his life began to subside, the voices that thwarted his mind began to silence — replaced by her presence.

The curse mark began to recede on his skin, the power left with it but in it's stead he felt her _love_ that overcame such raw strength.

It was gone.

The black flames snuck back into their cave on his neck, and the two stood there for what felt like minutes - the world faded into a haze of obscurity, the forest lost in the sunshine of her _warmth._

Until numbness overcame him.

Limbs reminiscent of jelly, he fell into her arms.

With the curse mark dormant, he had only tasted what it had to offer.

And now he felt exhausted without it.

"Sasuke-kun!"

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Sasuke did not think that the rose trees in spring would bring a sense of home, and he didn't expect that the tree leaves mirrored in a river would distinctly remind him of her eyes.

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She became the sunshine in the spring.

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 _Annoying_.

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TBC.

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 **Author's note:**  
The FOD scenes inspired this story - but I'm happy to begin the next character development for Sasuke.  
I see so many people reading and thank you for those that have followed this story and reviews thus far, I really appreciate it.

Leave a review and let me know what you think, constructive criticism, if I'm portraying Sasuke accurately - what needs to be improved and what you like.  
Reviews are a really big motivation, thank you!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: If there are any scenes that seem out of order I apologize, I'm going by the timeline of the manga and I'm positive it's accurate - but if it doesn't coincide with the anime's timeline then that should be the only discrepancy.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or any of it's affiliates.

M

 _Our Linear Story_  
 **Chapter 3**

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On sleepless nights he would wonder when the forest would end and where it would begin, how had the existence of this planet pertained to the reality he found himself in. How — when he truly thought about it, they had come to face a God and in the face of that God — had overcome it.

Existential questions plagued him, even now.

Before, when his mind had been deterred by the thoughts of revenge — dark spots in his memory that he had drowned in led the path he chose. These new questions seemed starkly indifferent to what he thought, and he couldn't be sure that he had the answers to them — but his friend did.

Maybe that's why the darkness chose him.

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Somewhere between that dreaded forest and their next step as a team, he felt an uneasiness that pressed down on his shoulders, flares of pain radiated from the curse mark that made his face twist in an attempt to disguise it, he gripped his shoulder to calm the fire that threatened his progress.

 _The waves of pain are becoming more frequent…_

The perceptive eyes of his female teammate glanced at him with that concerned glance that shook his resolve.

News of the preliminaries forced him to grind his teeth to mask the eternal throb on his shoulder.

"Now…There are no more retiring, right?" Hayate coughed, dull eyes glancing through the crowd of chunin prospects.

"Sasuke-kun! You should also quit this preliminary round!" the delicate, yet harsh whisper wafted through him, Naruto's eyes bulged at Sakura's outward suggestion.

The weight of the forest hadn't fallen on their blond member.

"You've been strange since that Orochimaru guy attacked you!" her eyes begged him, pleaded with him to listen to her, but Sasuke narrowed his own — she didn't know what he had to go through, this was only another stone in the finite steps for his final destination.

"—That mark still hurts, right!?" she paused, breathless concern radiated within her, and he could clearly see her adept ability in watching the pain he was trying to conceal.

"—If you continue-!"

Naruto had quieted down his obtuse questioning, the quiver in Sakura's voice stilled him — and curiously he glanced at Sasuke's shoulder, unable to understand what had transpired between them in the pits of the forest.

Sasuke remained quiet.

"Please…" her hands clasped together, for his sake.

He couldn't bring himself to say anything, steel eyes watched the girl that had infiltrated his life beg for his safety — she understood, but she didn't see the grand picture that forced him to proceed.

"Please quit…" tears sprung to her eyes, the dismal sobs that began to shake her body pleaded with him— "I'm afraid…"

Sasuke perpetuated his silence, struggling with his inner resolve and the words that reached a place within him that he had forcefully shoved away. Had she always been finely tuned to see through the layered fabrications of his vengeance?

Her innocence on the subject of his life left him unable to comfort her.

Naruto shifted beside him, he could hear the listless question of what she was talking about on his lips — two people that had come into his life, but the fateful night that swept him into darkness kept him quiet and resolute.

Contrived, disquieted anger broke through her pleading, "you are in _no_ condition to fight right now!"

She spoke too loudly for him.

" _Shut up_!" he barked under his breath. Other teams began to shift inward to listen to their conversation.

"I can see it! You have been hiding the pain all this time!"

Bubbling anger seeped through him. She had perceptively cradled this knowledge with her when he had worked so fretfully to hide what he felt made his eyes narrow dangerously.

"Be quiet," he hissed under the the increasing scrutiny of the people standing around them.

"Whatever you say —" her voice whispered on the verge of hysterics, "I'm going to tell the sensei's about that mark."

Her hand began to raise, but his reflexes and will to push forward through the throbbing pain — he couldn't deter from this test of strength.

He gripped her wrist and dragged it back down between them, their familiar touches had become a staple — whereas she usually brought a source of comfort, she dragged an unwelcome deter in his path right now.

Naruto stood confused between them, a light in the banks of pink and black.

"Shut up about this mark," he repeated darkly, fingers still laced tightly around her petite wrist.

More tears — more unbidden concern for his well being.

"Why are you so stubborn?! I don't want to see you suffering anymore-!" she attempted to pull away, "to me you are—"

"This has nothing to do you with you," he ushered tightly.

The harsh words made her visibly flinch in his grasp.

"Stay out of my business," he finished resolutely. Anger tied to the storm, he remained by her mutely — he left no room for debate. This was _his_ path, not hers — her concern for him would only harm them both.

Again, viridian met onyx — words and emotions that were too complicated to speak sat between them with a sad, understood conversation that couldn't take place.

"Sakura," he drawled in the mess that had become the prelims, "I have told you before — I am an avenger."

He felt inclined to explain. To help her understand.

Their conversation during the bell test played itself across her features, but he couldn't expect her to truly understand the severity of what he had to do, of what he had to accomplish. A life like hers didn't coincide with his, beyond her stood the shadow of his brother — beyond the pain he felt now stood the thirst for power to kill _him_.

"This isn't just a test to me. I don't care about becoming a chunin."

His teammate's faces broke into confusion.

How could he explain something he had trouble understanding himself?

"'Am I strong?' I just want the answer to that…" he paused to glance at the peculiar face of the redhead from Suna, "to just fight the strong people here—and they are here."

He looked at the girl that had time and time again stood by him, "I can't forgive even **you** if you take that away from me." The tears had stopped, and an unusual silence of recognition passed through her visibly shaken form.

A small, unrecognizable gasp left her parted lips.

"You bastard!" Naruto growled, "stop acting all cool!" anger seeped through his temporary placated silence.

" _Idiot_! Sakura is this worried and—-"

"Naruto," he quipped casually, "I also want to fight you…" He had never been free with compliments to his rival, but the unusual opening he left for them to try and see into the void he had been consumed by left him particularly vulnerable.

A shocked, cleared eyed look calmed the raging jinchuriki.

They understood.

The intensity between the trio expelled itself until the pain shot through his spine once again, "-ungh!"

His perseverance eluded to the flashing screen atop of the Hokage's daunting form.

 _ **Uchiha Sasuke vs. Akado Yoroi**_

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" _Do you think your feelings are truly connected to mom's?_ "

The question had been answered before he had realized, because annoying had taken different forms and became the silence shared between them, where words failed but actions spoke — their eyes would lock and there wouldn't be a need to explain.

" _Yeah_."

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The most perceptive and intuitively annoying man that Sasuke had ever come across was his precarious sensei. Kakakshi had been a step ahead of them in their thinking process before they had a time to formulate a plan as a team, whether it be from their mission to see beneath his mask or Sasuke trying to conceal his curse mark

This fell true during his preliminary battle.

Being explicitly told not to use his sharingan or his battle would be disrupted by this man had settled his reserve. Kakashi knew about the mark, but Sasuke couldn't think of how he already found out about it — they hadn't seen each other since before the exams began.

So be it.

However, Innate strength had left him during the battle with the sound shinobi — his body felt weak in comparison to the forest.

Exhaustion took a hold of him, his limbs felt heavy and the sound ninja didn't waste time to exploit his struggle to persevere without the use of chakra. He couldn't pinpoint the exact cause of his sudden dreariness, as if his chakra was-

Unless-!

His chakra was being drained from him by the simple touch of this masked shinobi.

Ever tactful, a new strategy formulated in his head when the obnoxious voice of Naruto echoed through the vicinity.

"Sasuke! Are you really Sasuke Uchiha!? Is that the best you can do?"

Sasuke maneuvered himself to kick the dominating male in the chin, effectively causing the crowd to gasp—

"It's over," he chimed, the small surge of chakra to disable his opponent made the curse mark buzz sharply within him.

 _Damn.._

The veil of hatred began to lift and the sense of losing his consciousness began to suffocate him. It began to spread across his skin, marring his pale skin with the pronounced markings of the curse, slowly — the world began to dim as power surged through his body.

The concerned faces of his teammates flashed before him — the bonds that he had gained with him made his normally focused ideals break.

 _Heh…Having them worry about me._

To be powerless in the face of a new, unspoken strength that the mark provided him

He needed to control it.

The Uchiha refused to allow this to control him, and with an exertion of practiced endurance the mark began to recede.

He won that round that day.

Kakashi escorted him from the preliminary round, the shocked faces of the other contenders resonated behind him, shock evident in the silence that followed his leaving.

They wouldn't need to worry about him.

"I'm going to take you to the back and seal up that curse," his sensei's voice echoed in his ear, a small grudge began to form in his throat, but there wouldn't be any arguing against Kakashi.

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Somewhere between inner turmoil and a struggle to stop shaking from the seal being placed on him, the distant voices of his sensei and the Orochimaru figure surrounded him.

 _What was going on?_

His body felt exhausted, but the words continued to tumble — "Sasuke-kun is a very _important_ piece."

The world tumbled around him when the curse mark and seal began to counteract, the chains on his body began to make his equilibrium swim around him.

He fell into unconsciousness once more.

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"You must control the seal by your own will, that's how it works—" Kakashi stated simply during the month they took to train before the final round of the exams. In this time, the curse mark had receded to a dull throb until it felt like it disappeared entirely, unknown to his sensei, Sasuke could feel the edges of it's power beckoning him if he allowed himself to dip into it — but he refrained from doing so.

It didn't fail Sasuke's knowledge that his match against the red-headed male with the gourd from Suna would be his opponent, and during this time Kakashi made it painfully obvious that Sasuke would need a way to break through the sand.

"You don't think I can do it on my own?" Sasuke bit back after another failed attempt to learn the new jutsu, for two weeks now his mentor had taught him his singular move that he had created —

The raikiri.

His lightning release had never been utilized or mentioned by his family when he had been training when he was younger. Traditionally, his clan dominated in fire jutsu's, so when his sensei had told him about a jutsu that could help him that involved his lightning affinity — Sasuke had been intrigued.

Not even his brother had an affinity towards lightning.

"Sasuke, you're fast enough, but you need to hold your ox seal a little longer, then proceed to collect your chakra," Kakashi scolded — eyes finely tuned to see the mistakes the Uchiha was making.

"Alright," he took a shallow breath and focused, he performed the hand seals and the surge of chakra began to swell within his hand — sparks of electricity shot around his arm and the sound of the chakra counteracting with lightning forced the Uchiha to rush forward towards his target — the vicinity lit up with the jutsu that could cut through rock and scared birds into flight within the training grounds, the severe echo and _strength_ of the jutsu only served to push him forward to his target.

He had closed his eyes when his hand pierced through the trees, and with a single motion the anchored tree had been split in half through the middle with severely charred branches and dusts of smoke that blew up the surrounding brush.

Kakashi gave a confident smirk whereas Sasuke glanced at the damage he inflicted and flexed his hands approvingly — so _this_ was the power of the chidori.

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He arrived late that day, not by his own admission — Kakashi had kept him away to talk to him. "Don't rely on your curse mark if you begin to lose, understand?" his voice held no room for argument — but Sasuke wasn't concerned with that, he had been controlling the mark with little ease ever since the seal had been placed on his body.

"Understood," he relented — his body hummed with anticipation when he finally entered the arena, hundreds of people had swarmed to the event from different villages, Kage's and strong shinobi alike had been waiting for this match between him and Gaara of the Sand.

They faced each other in the middle, the crowd erupted with a deafening roar when the two opponents were introduced, and Sasuke couldn't help but give a small tilt of his lips at the arrival of this fight.

He would finally prove his strength.

To himself, and everyone else.

Gaara held a face of indifference, arms crossed casually across his chest — an aura of violence and death confided within the red head, and Sasuke couldn't help but narrow his eyes — he would need to finish this battle quickly.

"Begin!" the proctor motioned for the two rivals and jumped out of the way.

Sand began to dislodge itself from the gourd on his back — _So this is the sand Kakashi told me about._

A sand clone began to emerge in front of the vehement red head, and Sasuke decided it would be better to get this over with quickly — he ran forward to hit him directly, his fist connected with the face of the clone until it began to sink in — a confident smirk grabbed at Gaara until Sasuke flickered from his view and punched him from behind.

A unified gasp lit the arena — Kakashi had mentioned how effective Lee's taijutsu had been, if he could maintain this type of speed, then beating his sand would wear him down first. The sand attempted to catch up to him, but he dodged once more and landed a kick to his stomach, knocking him back ten yards — a satisfied huff of triumph resonated from Sasuke.

"I'll tear your armor off," Sasuke announced as Gaara slowly picked himself up off the ground.

He ran again, if it hadn't been for his sharingan and copying the taijutsu user, this battle could possibly go differently — Sasuke ran at a newfound speed, when he noticed a break in Gaara's concentration he launched forward and kicked him in the chin — a sickening _crunch!_ echoed around them and he wasted no time in using this momentum to grab the front of his shirt and kneeing him in the stomach.

Gaara's face had a crack in it, Sasuke eyed his work appreciatively but couldn't ignore the fact that his body was beginning to tire from the exertion of speed.

Only a little longer.

The sand began to eclipse around it's user, Sasuke ran forward — the new expulsion of chakra made the air thick within the arena. He aimed to break through the sand — except sharp tendrils forced him to stop, dust lifted into the air around them, Sasuke stayed mutely frozen — barely missing being impaled by the morphed sand.

The hardened density of the sand ripped open the skin on his knuckles that began to bleed through his bandages — Sasuke contained the grimace that threatened to push itself onto his face.

Sand swarmed above them like a hoard of flies before a storm.

The thick chakra that emanated from the ball that surrounded Gaara unsettled the Uchiha.

Sasuke knew that whatever Gaara was planing would be detrimental, he distanced himself to gather enough chakra to use the chidori to pierce through the thick sand.

The crackling of the chidori rebounded around the arena, the crowd had gone silent among the piercing noise of his jutsu, light cackled around his arm — his own thick chakra battled against Gaara's — he would need to end this before his chakra ran out.

It happened in a blur of motion, he remembered his chidori cutting through the sand, the stench of blood and charred flesh permeated the air. The crazed sand shinobi remained stoic in the sand, until _something_ shot out at Sasuke and grabbed a hold of his arm, something instinctively vile.

The sudden emergence of the jinchuriki's power gripped onto him, Sasuke surged his chidori until it broke loose from his arm and he doubled back.

The sand broke loose and fell around Gaara —

The arena remained silent, the confused atmosphere could be felt for miles —

A bomb detonated in the Hokage's perch.

More bombs detonated around the village, the ground shook with a measurable force and screams began to echo around the arena of those that didn't get caught in the genjutsu.

Sound shinobi arrived into the arena in a mess of chaos as they began to slaughter innocent people.

Their village was under attack.

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Sasuke could think back now and understand that the downfall of Konoha planned by Orochimaru had been a minuscule part of his plan — the attack of his village had been a part of a bigger scheme, and this attack catapulted the events that led to his defection.

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* * *

 **Author's Note:** Existential Sasuke is always fun, although I think that's a trait most Uchiha's have. _  
_I love the times when Sasuke is unable to explain himself - but his actions speak louder.

 _Thank you_ to everyone who has taken the time to review and leave a subscription notice, I really appreciate it and your wonderful feedback.  
If you enjoy this story don't forget to review or leave a follow/favorite. _Thank you!_


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